The Armed Forces Bowl starts at 1 p.m., and I’ll be somewhere over west Texas on my way to Phoenix when Cal and Air Force face off. It’s the beginning of a large week here for all of us and for so many others, and it could have been monumental for the Clays.

Cody Clay, of course, is West Virginia’s tight end and a key component to a killer running game. Jordan Clay is Cody’s younger brother, and he, too, is a tight end for Air Force, which runs the ball more than any other team in the country.

Forth Worth and Phoenix are separated by one direct flight — or one 15-hour car ride — and you’d imagine mother and father, Roxanne and Chuck, are at Amon G. Carter Stadium for Air Force v. Cal and then on their way to Scottsdale for WVU v. Arizona State.

You’d be wrong.

But Chuck and Roxanne will be home today, munching on pizza rolls and quesadillas, making bologna and cheese sandwiches, dipping into Roxanne’s guacamole and sipping on chocolate milk and eggnog.

Those are Jordan’s favorites, and he’ll be in the living room with his parents and their chocolate lab Sadie.

Cal’s offense is a variation of the Air Raid, and Air Force had to make room on the travel roster for players who could help simulate the Golden Bears attack in practice. Jordan’s a tight end, just like his brother, and didn’t make the cut.

“I’m going to watch and support my teammates,” he said. “It’s not my teammates’ fault I’m not going. They needed different players for the scout team and the spread offense, so they brought some faster guys. I’m bummed out I can’t go, but at the end of the day, at least I get some more time at home.”

His parents like this, too, and not simply because the refrigerator is packed and Chuck gets to enjoy some of the delicacies Roxanne hopes will help Jordan pack pounds onto his frame.

Jordan reported to campus for his third year during the summer and made it home once for just a few days for Thanksgiving after that.

Cody’s much closer to home. It’s easy for him to see his parents for a free weekend or before or after games and talk about Jordan or football or Cody’s wedding in April.

“Even though Jordan was disappointed he didn’t get to go to the bowl game, the flip side is he’s home for 17 days instead of seven,” Chuck said. “So we decided to stay home and watch the games on TV.”

We’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. I’ll touch base this evening after WVU’s practice. It’s open for 20 minutes, but at 5 p.m. local time.